Browse 74208 Reviews & Comments

Commenter   Comment   Posted On   Date  
 Fraser Allen For a first-time festival, The Great Fete certainly delivered on its promise of dance music on Saturday and indie sing-alongs on Sunday. Better still, it managed to do so without the organisational chaos that often seems mandatory for new festivals. After warming up the crowd with entertaining DJ sets from Craig Charles and Chris Moyles, it was time for the bands. First up were The Hoosiers, who bravely decided to play their biggest hit, Worried About Ray, early in the set. It's the sort of move that can leave a band with 30 minutes of people heading for the bar, but they kept the audience engaged throughout. Covers of Cyndi Lauper and Chappell Roan went down particularly well, proving that even indie crowds know a good pop song when they hear one. Next came Hard-Fi, a band I had not seen for nearly 20 years. To be honest, I approached their set with some trepidation. The last time I saw them, Richard Archer's vocal performance left me a little underwhelmed. Thankfully, any concerns disappeared almost immediately. They delivered an excellent set that reminded everyone just how many great songs are packed onto Stars of CCTV. The newer material sounded good too, which is always a relief. Nobody wants to spend an entire set mentally calculating how many songs remain until the next hit. By the time Feeder took to the stage, I had upgraded myself into the VIP area. This was the 18th time I had seen them and, remarkably, they remain as reliable as ever. If Feeder were a household appliance, they'd be the washing machine that's survived three house moves and still works perfectly. Their set mixed newer tracks with the classics, and the crowd enthusiastically embraced both. Grant Nicholas, now 59, somehow looks younger than many people in their forties and announced that a new album is due next year. The highlight was diving into the mosh pit for Just a Day. As always, it seemed like an excellent idea at the time and a slightly less excellent one for my knees afterwards. Finally, for the 18th time, Ocean Colour Scene took to the stage. They stuck firmly to their tried-and-tested formula, rattling through the hits and finishing with the inevitable mass sing-along to The Day We Caught the Train. There are some things in life you can set your watch by: taxes, rain at British festivals and Ocean Colour Scene ending with that song. One thing I have noticed increasingly at concerts is the wide range of ages in attendance. Younger fans are discovering for themselves just how brilliant Britpop was at its peak, while those of us who were around the first time are discovering entirely new muscles after standing up all day. Overall, The Great Fete was a tremendous success. The organisers got the balance right, the atmosphere was fantastic and every band delivered. Most importantly, nobody felt the need to reinvent the festival wheel. Hopefully it returns next year with exactly the same formula and avoids some of the mistakes that seemed to affect Audley End this year. If it does, The Great Fete could quickly become one of the highlights of the summer festival calendar. Feeder / Ocean Colour Scene / Hard fi / The Hoosiers / Norman Jay Aug 24, 2026
 Fraser Allen After a day of betting on horses running backwards at Newmarket, it was finally time for the music. Having previously attended only the Friday race meetings, it was a pleasant surprise to see just how packed the Saturday crowd was, especially with two bands on the bill. First up were Scouting for Girls, who did far more than simply warm up the crowd; they lit a furnace. Charismatic frontman Roy Stride proclaimed that the audience was the fifth member of Scouting for Girls, and people of all ages happily accepted the role, belting out their biggest hits along with the band. Stride also reminded everyone that the group celebrates its 20th anniversary next year, a milestone that seemed to resonate with many in attendance. After a short break, it was time for my 24th Kaiser Chiefs show. As ever, Ricky Wilson's boundless energy was the focal point of the performance, captivating the crowd from start to finish. While most people were eagerly awaiting the band's classic hits from the 2000s, newer songs such as Coming Home and Hole in My Soul also received an enthusiastic response. Excellent cover versions of Pinball Wizard and Blitzkrieg Bop ("Hey Ho, Let's Go") went down a storm before the band wrapped up the evening with Oh My God. It has now been 21 years since I first saw Kaiser Chiefs live, yet they show no signs of slowing down. One of the most pleasing aspects of the night was seeing so many younger fans singing along to songs that were released before they were born. Perhaps that's a reflection of the modern ways people discover and consume music, where great songs can find new audiences regardless of when they were first released Kaiser Chiefs / Scouting for Girls Aug 24, 2026
 Craig Hatfield Free event Rough Island Band Aug 24, 2026
 Hilliard T. Marty Lee Hoenes (guitar), Frank Gratto (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), and Scott Campbell (guitar) were Red, White & Blueberry. ZZ Top / Red, White & Blueberry Aug 24, 2026
 Hilliard T. John Sebastian played a solo acoustic show. America / John Sebastian Aug 24, 2026
 Remyfla My wife was pregnant with our first child and Randy California jumped off the stage and played his guitar right in front of her so close! Spirit Aug 24, 2026
 Hilliard T. Peter Frampton was on the bill as well, but he canceled. Black Oak Arkansas / James Gang Aug 24, 2026
 F Houston Smith Tom Constanten, David Nelson , Barry Flast, Barry Sless, Bill Laymon, Arthur Steinhorn Dead Ringers Aug 24, 2026
 janicethemenace Opening band (not on CA 2026): Intrepid was an acoustic/alternative side-project consisting of touring members from the band OURS (including Static, April Bauer, and Chris Dowd) performing alongside Jimmy Gnecco. Jimmy Gnecco / Hannah Gernand Aug 24, 2026
 Keith Morris Great show! And we weren't harassed by the lapd.......... X / Plugz / The Gears / Black Flag / The Stains (L.A.) Aug 24, 2026
 Mark Mitchell A transcendental experience- probably the best concert I’ve ever seen Howling Diablos / The J. Geils Band Aug 24, 2026
 E.Fud On December 9th 2012, three days after Referendum 74 takes effect, Seattle City Hall will be open between 10am and 5PM for same-sex couples to have wedding ceremonies. To celebrate this momentous occasion, Seattle Theatre Group (STG), the Mayor’s Office, Washington United For Marriage and Seattle Weekly will host A Wedding Reception for All at The Historic Paramount Theatre on this Historic Day! We are encouraging all couples, their family and friends, to come to The Paramount for this FREE public reception party and join us in an evening of entertainment, fun, and – what is a wedding reception without cake and desserts. Festivities start off with Mayor McGinn leading a toast, a lovely acoustic set by Mary Lambert and then dance the night away with DJ Wesley Holmes : affiliation – Flammable, Resistance, The Woods. The fabulous actor-writer-singer, Sarah Rudinoff will be the Master of Ceremonies, plus a special appearance by Choklate. The mayor of Seattle, a former mayor of Seattle and then current state, Senator, and the governor of the state of Washington all spoke at this reception celebrating Love and the power. The people have to make the world a better place. I brought my young children, it was an extraordinary moment of pure joy, love truly won. Mary Lambert Aug 24, 2026
 E.Fud It was a very small venue and Alexi sang and played beautifully. I was in the very front standing 2 feet in front of him, and in between songs I requested he play “Something Beautiful, Let Your Light Shine” which is his song I’ve heard him play live previously when he came to Seattle and played the Crocodile, and then found a bootlegged recording on the Internet. However, that was not to be, and at the end of the concert he came out and we were right at the door between the Public space of the venue and the backstage area and we got to chat and he acknowledged that I asked for that but said truthfully, he didn’t know the chords so he couldn’t do it. He was charming and affable and humble and lovely his musicianship and passion rival all the best singer songwriter out there! Alexi Murdoch / Portland Cello Project Aug 24, 2026
 David Hughes @Jessie Dean Meyer, you didn’t attend this concert, so please stop adding an opener! Those of us that were there know the Vince Gill played WITH The Eagles. Not as an opener! Eagles Aug 24, 2026
 Mark Mitchell I met and talked with Debbie Harry after the show ! Jazz Passengers Aug 24, 2026
 Mattie Pahl YM&EWK left the venue before performing. You, Me, & Everyone We Know / Common Family / Aaron Simonds Aug 24, 2026
 Erick M. One of the Best show I've seen there. These guys were freaking Awesome. Still Alive – Pearl Jam Experience / Foo Fight - Foo Fighters Tribute Aug 24, 2026
 Blues-Lover Albert puts on a great performance. His guitar playing is Impressive with a mix of original music and a few covers by some of the greats. His band has some amazing musicians who have played with some great musicians. His stories are amusing and interesting in relation to the next song. He puts on a great show; one you shouldn’t miss. Albert Castiglia Aug 24, 2026
 Girl at the Rock Shows https://girlattherockshows.com/2026/08/24/live-like-you-were-dying/ Tim McGraw / 49 Winchester / The Chicks (fka Dixie Chicks) / Lady A (fka Lady Antebellum) / Timothy Wayne Aug 24, 2026
 Stephen Lane Free Family Concert Eskimo Joe / Dulcie Aug 24, 2026